Figure-polycycle.



L. G. WAGNER & w. G. LOHMEYBR.

FIGURE POLYGYOLE. APPLICATION FILED MAB..18, 1913.

Patented-June 16, 1914.

mmvro KM 56 ATTORNEY 'WITAIIE'SSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS G. WAGNER AND WALTER G. LOHMEYER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT,

ASSIGNORS TO THE BRIDGEPORT MECHANICAL COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT,

CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

FIGURE-POLYCYCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application fi1ed March 18, 1913. Serial No. 755,123.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Louis G. WAGNER andWALTER G. LOHMEYER, citizens of the United States, residing atBridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented anImprovement in Figure- Polycycles, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to toy hobby horses of the type comprising arocking body upon which the rider may be seated, and a vehicle uponwhich the body is mounted and provided with propelling mechanismoperatively connected with the body and actuated by the movementthereof.

One object of the invention is to provide a toy of this character whichcombines the ease of a erfectl balanced rocking mo-.

tion of the body with a maximum efliciency in the application of thepower to the locomotion or propulsion of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved propellingmechanism in which the application of the power is continuous and evenlydistributed throughout the complete cycle of operation, therebyproducing a smooth and even movement of the vehicle and obviating allpossibility of a dead center.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction by meansof which the full weight of the rider is utilized to pro pel the vehiclethereby obtaining the maXimum resultant power with the minimumexpenditure of energy through the elimination of losses by gravity.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide a self-propelledhobby horse in which ease of locomotion is combined with perfect controlof the vehicle.

With these and other objects in view we have devised the novelconstruction which we will now describe, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete device, the body beingpartly broken away to show the mechanism inclosed thereby; Fig. 2 is arear elevation with the body in section; Fig. 3 is a section on the line33, Fig. 1; Fig. 4f is a detail rear elevation of the fly or balancewheels.

10 denotes the body of the device which is preferably formed hollow orU-shaped in transverse vertical section, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, inorder to inclose or house the mechanism hereafter described, therebymaking it impossible for a child to become injured or to disarrange themechanism while riding upon or otherwise playing with the device. ThebodylO may be made of wood, metal, or any other suitable material in theform of a horse or other animal or otherwise as may be preferred. Thebody 10 is mounted to rock or oscillate upon a shaft 11 the ends ofwhich are received in sockets 12 carried by the opposite sides of thebody, and the central portion of which is supported in a sleeve 13forming part of a coupling member 14: at the top of the center post .15of the vehicle frame. The saddle 16 or seat for the rider is preferablylocated directly above the shaft 11 or oscillatory center of the body.

The vehicle frame is preferably composed of tubular metallic framemembers connected at their ends and elsewhere as may be necessary bybrazed joints, suitable couplings or socket members being interposedwhere found desirable, after the fashion of an ordinary bicycle frame.The forward portion of said vehicle frame comprises up per connected attheir forward ends to a head 19 and at their rearward ends, by thecoupling l4 and a coupling 20, to the upper and lower ends,respectively, of the center post 15.

21 denotes a steering post mounted to turn in the head 19, said posthaving at its upper end a steering bar 22 and at its lower end a frontfork 23 in which is journaled the front or steering wheel 2a of thevehicle.

25 denotes reins or steering lines secured to the ends of the steeringbar 22 and passing through guides 26 on the body, which guides, asshown, may be made to represent the reins rings of a bridle bit, saidlines extending rearwardly into convenient proxim: ity to the saddle 16.

The rear or driving wheels 27 of the vehicle are fixed upon the ends ofan axle or driving shaft 28 journaled in bearings 29 mounted in the endsof the upper and lower rear forks of the vehicle frame. The lower rearfork comprises forwardly converging frame members or legs 30 connectedat their forward ends, by the coupling 20, to the the other lower end ofthe center post 15. The upper rear fork comprises upwardly converging'rame members or legs 31 connected at their upper ends, by couplings 32,to the ends of a transverse frame member or brace 33, and to the lowerends of upright frame members 34, said uprights 34 being connected,by V

the coupling 14, to the upper end of the center post 15.

35 denotes a. crank shaft journaled in pref erably integral ears 36 onthe uprights 34 and having at its ends crank arms 37 and 38respectively.

39 denotes an operating arm rigidly secured to the body 10 and extendingdownwardly therefrom, preferably on a line intersecting the axis of theshaft 11, 2'. e. the axis or center of oscillation of said body, saidarm being connected with the crank arm 37 by a link 40.

41 denotes a bell-crank lever fulcrumed on a stud 42 projecting from thecenter post 15 at a point adjacent the lower end thereof, The lever 41comprises an upright operating arm, connected by a link 43 with thecrank; arm 38, and a lower arm pivoted to the, lower end of a verticallyarranged link 44. The upper end of the link 44 is pivoted to the body 10at a point 45 removed from, and preferably in front of, the center ofoscilla-i tion of said body. I

46 denotes a sprocket wheel fixed upon the crank shaft 35, and 47 asimilar sprocket, wheel fixed upon the axle 28, said sprocket; Wheelsbeing connected by a chain 48. l

49 denotes a fly wheel shaft journaled inf brackets 50 carried by thelower rear forki frame members 30. i

51. denotes a pair of fly wheels fixed upon the shaft 49, and 52 asprocket wheel fixedf upon the shaft 49 between the fly wheels 51; andover which the chain 48 passes, said sprocket wheel 52 being relativelysmall as compared to the sprocket wheels 46 and 47.

The operation of the device is as follows: The rider, seated upon thesaddle 16, throws his body alternately forwardly and backwardly, therebycausing the body 10 of the device to oscillate or rock upon the shaft11. This rocking motion is communicated through the link 44, bell cranklever 41, and link 43 to the crank arm 38 and through the arm 39 andlink 40 to the crank arm 37, thereby rotating the crank shaft 35. Therotation of the crank shaft is transmitted, through the sprocket wheel46, chain 48, and sprocket wheel 47, to the axle 28 and wheels 27,thereby propelling the vehicle over the ground. By pulling upon one orof the lines 25 the rider may turn the steering post 21 and front wheel24, thereby guiding the vehicle at will and controlling its course. Therotation of the crank shaft 35 is also transmitted, through the sprocketwheel 46, chain 48, and sprocket wheel 52, to the fly wheel shaft 49,setting this shaft and the fly wheels 51 thereon in rotation, afterwhich the momentum of these fly wheels is communicated to the axle 28through the sprocket wheel 52, chain 48, and sprocket wheel 47, therebymaterially assisting in propelling the vehicle and preventing anypossibility of a. dead center.

By reason of the relative sizes of the sprocket wheels 46, 47, and 52the fly wheels 51 will, after the device has been started. be rotated ata high rate of speed, thereby, through the momentum thus generated,storing a considerable amount of power which may be utilized to propelthe vehicle for a considerable time without the exertion of any effortwhatsoever on the part of the rider. Moreover the momentum of the flywheels, acting through the crank shaft and connections with the body,serves to assist in the proper balance of the body and contributesgreatly to the ease and regularity of the movements thereof, therebypromoting the comfort and enjoyment of the rider. The .particulararrangement herein shown of the various arms, levers, and links forconverting the oscillations of the body into rotation of the crank shaftfor propelling the vehicle has been found to constitute an extremelyefficient mechanism for the desired purpose, utilizing substantially theentire weight of the rider, and, particularly in connection with the flywheels or power storing devices, providing for a continuous applicationand an even distribution of the power.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a frame including a centerpost and upper and lower front and rear frame members connected thereto,a driving shaft mounted in the rear frame members, driving wheelsthereon, a hollow body mounted to oscillate 011 said center post withits sides depending on opposite sides of the upper frame members, ashaft journaled in the upper rear frame members and having crank arms,an operating arm rigidly secured to the body, a link connecting theoperating arm with one of the crank arms, a bell crank lever pivoted tothe center post, a link connecting one arm of said lever to the othercrank arm, a link pivoted to the other arm of said lever and to the bodyforward of the center post and removed from the axis of oscillation, andmeans for transmitting motion from the crank shaft to the driving shaft.

2. In a device of the character described, a frame including a centerpost and upper and lower front and rear frame members connected thereto,a driving shaft mounted in the rear frame members, driving wheelsthereon, a hollow body mounted to oscillate on said center post with itssides depending on opposite sides of said upper frame members, a crankshaft journaled in the upper rear frame members and having crank arms,an operating arm rigidly secured to the body, a link connecting theoperating arm with one of the crank arms, a bell crank lever pivoted tothe center post, a link connecting one arm of said lever to the othercrank arm a link pivoted to the other arm of said lever and to the bodyforward of the center post at a point removed from the axis ofoscillation, a sprocket wheel mounted upon the crank shaft, a fly wheelshaft mounted upon lower rear frame members, a sprocket Wheel mountedupon the fly wheel shaft, a

fly wheel mounted on each side of said 15 LOUIS G. WAGNER. WALTER G.LOHMEYER.

Witnesses:

A. M. WOOSTER, S. W. ATHERTON.

Ooplu of thin patent may be obmned to:

he cents each, by eddrenln: the Commissioner of retentl, Wuhlngton, D.0."

